Misconceptions
by alitablake
Summary: Hikaru Challenge: It was never going to happen again. Kyoko was sure of it, yet that familiar feeling swells in her heart for the untouchable man, Ren.  While her mind rages war with her heart, she overhears a unexpected confession.
1. The Reason

**12/31/10 Message from Fangurl Ayane and Jhiz:**

The gauntlet has been thrown at the feet of all skip beat fan fiction writers... Do you dare to accept the challenge?

In five chapters or less, write a story that keeps true to the character's personalities (which means having a rational reason for personal growth) and allows Mogami Kyoko to not only see Ishibashi Hikaru as a potential suitor but also acknowledge him as a forerunner for her heart (in other words, establish that he has a portion of her heart reserved for him that says 'boyfriend' not senpai, co-star or even best guy friend). Alternative reality fictions will not count as part of the challenge (in other words, no removing Ren or Sho from the universe to make it work).

_**Good luck if you are up to the challenge! Oh and if you write it, please mention Hikaru Challenge in your summary... have fun! **_

**A/N: I do Not own Skip Beat. **

**I saw this challenge, and thought, Oh how fun! I love Hikaru! haha Then Chapter 170 came out, and that pretty much killed it. But Jhiz requested that I still try. So here is my attempt to at a Hikaru/Kyoko story. It's not suppose to be OOC, and it takes place after 170. *gasp* Sorry, I couldn't give Hikaru _MY_ kind of smexy action. So rated T for language and safety. Please Enjoy.**

**Special Thanks to **Desertliliac** for beta reading this story for me.**

Chapter 1

Kyoko stood in the middle of the hall in a daze. She knew time was ticking away rapidly. The party was going to come whether she liked it or not. There were simply too many things she needed to do for her to be standing around thinking about her ill-fated heart. She took a step and then another. Her senses were numb to things around her. She could only hope that she responded politely to anyone who approached her.

Suddenly, she felt someone touch her hand. Kyoko moved her head down slowly to see whose warm fingers held her hand. It felt like her body was moving in sludge as her eyes identified the beautifully manicured hand that belonged to her best friend, Kanae.

"Moko-san?" Her voice was distant and even Kyoko heard the detachment in it. _Didn't they already talk? Did she forget something? _She forced a smile on her lips and saw the fear and concern on Kanae's face.

"Let's go," Kanae ordered, taking Kyoko's wrist firmly in her grip and started walking towards the exit.

Kyoko struggled to keep up. "What's wrong, Moko-san? Where are we going?" She asked but didn't get a response from Kanae, so she continued. "Stop, I need to get a dress from the costume department," Kyoko pleaded, but it didn't stop her persistent friend.

"We are going to go buy one for you. We have time," Kanae said and abruptly stopped midstride. She turned to Kyoko with a deathly glare. "And you are going to tell me EXACTLY WHAT is wrong?"

Kanae didn't give Kyoko the time to lie to her concern. Kyoko didn't know if she could talk about this, not right now. Though, she didn't know if she could ever talk about it. She didn't want to acknowledge it, just like with Reino stating that Corn was probably dead by now. If she said it out loud, it would make it real, something she couldn't take back later.

Kanae stuffed them into a cab and gave directions to the driver, but Kyoko wasn't listening. They rode in silence. Kyoko was staring at her hands in her lap, while Kanae irritably sat beside her, trying hard not to throttle her. Soon the cab lurched to a stop. Kanae paid the man leaving the minimum tip and dragged Kyoko out onto the street. She marched them into a large popular store. There wasn't very many people shopping around. Kanae weaved through the story, around all the different racks and displays towards the dresses.

A sales woman stepped up to them with a professional smile and spoke, "Can I help you find something?"

"No," Kanae barked, "We're fine." The woman jumped in shock, but regained her smile and turned away quickly. Kanae randomly grabbed a dress in Kyoko's size and steered them to the dressing rooms.

"One," Kanae snapped at the dressing room attendant without stopping. She went to the booth at the very end of the row and locked both of them into it. Kyoko started going through the motions. She took off her uniform jacket and started to unbutton her white shirt, not caring that Kanae was in the room. They changed in front of each other before.

"Mo! Stop," Kanae ordered, but then took it back as she looked at the dress she picked out. It actually might work well for her. "Well, okay, go ahead and try it on, but you have to talk. Now!"

Kyoko sighed. "What do you want me to say?"

Kanae sat down on the little bench and looked up sadly at her friend. "What's wrong? What is making you feel like this? The truth, Kyoko."

Kyoko stayed silent. _Where do I start? What do I say? How do I even begin to explain it? _Before she knew it, tears started to run down her face uncontrollably. She felt Kanae stand up and wrap her arms around her. She started to hum a soft tune that Kyoko didn't recognize. After a few minutes, they sat down, and Kanae pulled out a tissue for her to use.

"It's happened again," Kyoko said in a thick voice.

Kanae frowned not understanding. She leaned down to peer into Kyoko's face and asked, "What happened again? Did Fuwa kiss you again?"

Kyoko was taken aback and let out a little laugh. "No!" She was smiling, her fingers playing with the damp tissue. She shook her head. "No. This is about someone else," she said softly.

Kanae straightened up, apprehension filling her. "What did _he_ do to you?" There were only two people that Kanae knew of that could make Kyoko feel this distraught, Fuwa Sho and Tsuruga Ren.

"Nothing, it's not his fault," Kyoko whispered, then her voice went cold and cruel, "I'm the stupid one."

"You are not stupid," Kanae countered, "Just tell me what happened?"

"I failed," Kyoko sobbed, "I swore to myself, to everyone, that I would never ever let myself feel this way again, but…" Her voice cracked as more tears ran down her face.

There was a soft knock on the door. The dressing room attendant voice came through came through the door timidly, "excuse me, is everything okay?"

Kanae stood up, opened the door just enough to glare at the woman. The attendant took a step back in fear as Kanae snarled, "We're fine. We'll be out in a minute."

The older woman put her hands up in surrender. "Take all the time you need," she said and quickly walked away from the booth. Kanae quietly closed the door and hesitated. She didn't know what to do. It was all too clear what Kyoko was talking about. Kanae has never fallen in love before. She simply never gave anyone the chance to get that close to her. Her desperate need to escape the life filled with poverty she grew up in forced all romance to the background. Still, her first and closest friend needed her, and she would do what she could.

Kanae sat down next to her weeping friend. She took out another tissue and wiped away her tears. "It's not your fault, Kyoko," she said softly and then her voice went colder, "If anyone should take the blamed, it's _him_."

Kyoko blinked swollen red eyes up at Kanae. "What? Why? He's not in love with me."

Kanae looked at her confusedly and frowned. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what happened. _She fell in love with him before he confessed? _She thought for certain Kyoko's heart wouldn't wake up until after Ren confessed. It's no wonder why Kyoko is feeling this badly. Kyoko believes she is in another one sided love affair.

The little dressing room grew dark as Kanae's anger filled the room. _That stupid slow greedy bastard! How dare he put her through this hell again, that damn ungrateful pushy ass! _Kanae gripped Kyoko's shoulders and forced the bawling girl to look at her.

"This is not your fault," Kanae started talking, "It's his. He knew how you felt about love. He knew how hurt you were because of what that damn emo singer did to you, and yet he pushed and pushed you." She paused and took a deep breath. "If you are feeling this way towards him, you are not to blame. You told me he was a playboy. His whole career is based on him charming women to love him."

Kyoko shook his head over and over again making Kanae stop speaking. Kyoko spoke looking down into the lap, "It's my fault for assuming his kindness was something more than that. I shouldn't have believed him. It's my fault for thinking he was sincere with all the dinners, rides and advice. He was just being himself."

Kanae eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Dinners? Rides? I knew about the advice, but he's been taking you to dinner? Driving you around town?"

"Sort of," Kyoko whispered, "I cooked dinner for him a few times at his place, or he will buy my lunch for me when we are acting together. Sometimes, he would drive me to the set or take me home after we are done. He was just being kind to his kohai."

Kanae pressed her lips together. "Did he offer anyone else a ride? Did he buy anyone else their lunch? I know that his manager doesn't drive, so that is obvious, but has he ever bought him lunch? I'm sure he doesn't invite any other women to his apartment."

The air around Kyoko grew dark at the mention of other women in his place. The thought of him touching other women reminded her too much of Sho and his wondering eye. Kyoko spoke like a threatening storm, "He doesn't belong to me, who he has in his apartment is none of my concern."

Kanae snorted. "Your body language says otherwise." She sighed and continued, "My point is that he pushed his way into your heart. He knows the effect he has on the opposite sex, and you, Kyoko, are only human. He does all these nice things without a second thought. I'm sure that if he gave me the same attention, I would have fallen for him too." Kyoko glared up at her friend, and Kanae glared back. "Don't go there," Kanae threatened.

Kyoko sighed. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is. The fact still remains the same. The question is what do I do about it? He is going to the party tonight. I can't, I won't let him use me like Sho did. I refuse to let someone take advantage of my feelings for them to get what they want," she paused. "What does he want?" Kyoko asked, looking at Kanae like she had all the answers.

"Who cares," Kanae said dismissively. She thought she knew what Ren wanted from Kyoko, but she didn't know for certain. If he wanted her love then he would have to tell her that himself. No way was she helping him if this was how he was going to treat her. "As for what you are going to do, well that is up to you. You can tell him your feelings and see what he says."

Kyoko shook her head.

"What if he feels the same way you do?" Kanae offered.

Kyoko snorted. "That's a mean joke, Moko-san. There is no way he would feel that way to a lowly newbie actress. I'm not good enough for him," Her voice drifted off dolefully.

"I will not have you talk to my best friend and rival that way!" Kanae said angrily, which made Kyoko smile her first sincere smile since they met up today. Kanae smiled back happy again. "So then the only other thing to do is to move on," she said softly. "Kyoko, you found love again. You found the missing emotion that you have been so desperately trying to find. It's back!" She said encouraging.

Kyoko tried to look happy about it but fell short. Kanae smiled softly at her. "Don't close up again, Kyoko. You just need to find someone who wants you in kind."

"No one wants me," Kyoko said sadly, making Kanae's heart break.

"Someone does. Trust me," Kanae said confidently, but Kyoko didn't look like she believed her. Kanae glared at her. "Are you thinking of me as liar?"

Kyoko shook her head franticly, "No, Moko-san. Never! You are one of the most brutally honest people I know."

"Um… thank you, I think," Kanae said confused. "Now as for tonight, we are going to get you the prettiest dress this store has to offer. If you can't afford it, I'll pitch in the difference." Kanae stood up and picked up the forgotten dress. She hung it up on the little hook and straightened it out. "Let's have some fun. Don't worry about tonight. I promise that you will be so busy talking to every other person, you won't even think of _him._"

Kyoko started to smile as Kanae tried her hardest at keeping her mind off things. She poked fun at some atrocious dresses they found and made funny little faces. Kyoko soon started to laugh again. They did find a dress, a sweet peach strapless taffeta dress. It had a sweetheart neckline with little floral cutouts at the hem that hit mid thigh with a black belt that clinched at her waist. They even bought new shoes and make-up for the occasion.

Kanae delivered on her promises. She stayed at Kyoko's side throughout the whole party. Kanae asked thousands of questions, asking her to introduce her to everyone and anyone. Even if Kyoko didn't know who they were, Kanae made it seem so natural to talk to them. She had never seen this side of her dark haired best friend, Kanae the Socializer. They did have to say hello to the male lead of the show. Kyoko felt her heart thrashing in her chest as his dazzling smile found her.

"You look beautiful, Mogami-san," Ren said affectionately. He smiled that heavenly demon killing smile that she now realized melted her icy walls. Her breath caught in her throat as her face heated up. She felt the world slowly drip away until it was only them, his eyes looking down at her, softly making the blood in her veins rushing towards the surface, her skin aching to touch him.

"Thank you, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko breathed the words while looking at the ground. She felt someone squeeze her arm.

"And what about me? She's not the only woman in the room, Tsuruga-san," Kanae said accusingly. Kyoko heard Ren chuckle and address her friend.

"You look lovely, Kotomani-san. Are you enjoying yourself tonight?" Ren forced his eyes away from his heart's desire to her friend.

"Yes and thank you," Kanae said and turned to Kyoko, who was shyly stealing glances at the insanely tall actor. "Come on, Kyoko, let's get something to drink." Kanae tugged her friend's arm, trying to kick start her internal motor.

"Oh, okay, Moko-san." Kyoko looked up at her sempai and lifted her hand to say goodbye.

Ren licked his lips and held his hand up, "I can get…" They left him alone, and he finished in sentence, speaking to no one, "…drinks for you." He lowered his hand and watched Kyoko being dragged across the room by Kanae.

The night continued, and Kanae kept Kyoko away from the persistent handsome actor. One thing that Kanae noticed was how much Kyoko's spirit lifted after talking to him for that brief minute. She was smiling more naturally, laughter bubbled from her mouth quicker, and her eyes shinned just a little brighter.


	2. Eaves dropping

Chapter 2

The next night, Kyoko was playing Bo. She's been eager to start acting any of her roles. She needed something to help her mind escape the haunting thoughts of a certain man and what better way than to slip into a fictional person's mind. She was looking forward to the carefree night.

Unfortunately, Kyoko couldn't look back on tonight and think it carefree. The show went smoothly. The three Ishibashi hosts came up to her and patted her chicken shoulder stating their appreciation for a job well done. She popped the head off and took a cleansing deep breath.

"Thank you," Kyoko said cheerfully, "The show went wonderfully, great job."

"Kyoko-chan, would you like to grab a bite to eat?" Hikaru smiled sweetly at her.

"I'm sorry. I can't tonight. Let's do it another time," Kyoko spoke to all three of them. They all nodded, used to her response. Kyoko turned towards the little hall where she takes off her costume and saw Hikaru look down sadly.

She paused and set her foot down making it squeak comically. She looked up at Hikaru and spoke softly, "Are you okay, Hikaru-san?"

Hikaru blinked at her surprised. "Uh, yeah. I was just thinking," he assured her with a refreshing smile. "Great work today, Kyoko-chan. I'll see you next week."

She smiled at him and nodded. She watched him leave, his mind returning to whatever thoughts had him looking sad. She frowned confused. She wanted to call out to him and ask him if she could help, but first, she had to get out of Bo. She squeaked down the hall and quickly shed the big Bo costume. Kyoko put Bo back into the large bin, wheeled it away and made her way to the Ishibashis' room. She heard their voices mumble as they spoke to each other casually. She waited for their laughter to spill out of the room like it normally does, but it didn't this time. As she neared the opening of the door, her footsteps slowed and stopped as their voices became clear.

"Why don't you just tell her how you feel?" Yuusei said calmly.

"Yeah, man. You've been asking Kyoko-chan out every week for the past year! Go confess to her, and she will finally say yes," Shinichi spoke making Kyoko gasp soundlessly.

She heard Hikaru laugh, but it wasn't a happy sound. "I can't do that. First off, why would she welcome a confession from someone she doesn't want to have dinner with? If she is rejecting me like that to spare my feelings, my confession will only make her feel uncomfortable."

Shinichi chuckled. "I don't think she even knows you are asking her out. If you confess, then she'll understand that you like her. It's the only way."

Silence filled the room, making Kyoko wish she could see into the room, and then Hikaru spoke again, "I don't think that is the case," he paused, "Well, actually, I agree. She doesn't know I like her. She thinks I'm asking her out as the leader of Bridge Rock, which I would be fine with, all four of us going out for dinner."

"We wouldn't do that to you, man. We couldn't intrude on your first date with Kyoko-chan," Shinichi said comforting.

"Thanks," Hikaru said with a smile, "but she isn't ready to date. I don't know why or what happened, but I think she is trying to forget something or maybe she is too young still and doesn't feel ready for a boyfriend." He paused and sighed, "I think she's been hurt. Do you guys remember our first episode with Fuwa Sho?"

Kyoko's heart started to race as they mentioned him, and she begged it to quiet down as Hikaru continued, "She switched the questions in the eggs, and he was really curious about the person in the Bo suit. I didn't think anything of it then, but the more I thought about it, the less it made sense. Why would she do that? Why does he care who was in the suit?"

"You think they dated?" Yuusei whispered, making Kyoko shake her head violently.

"Maybe, I don't know," Hikaru said softly, "I don't like to think of my ex-girlfriends, so she wouldn't mention if they did date. If she is simply not ready to date, then it's only a matter of time before she will say yes. Either way, I'm going to wait until she is ready. I don't want to push her into something she doesn't want with a brash confession."

"And you asking her out every week isn't pushy?" Shinichi teased, and they all laughed.

"Hey, I can't give up. What if she says yes? It would suck to miss the opportunity. She has yet to say, 'No, I don't want to date you, because you're too short.'" Hikaru badly mimicked her, making the other two laugh.

Kyoko shook her head. _You're not short, Hikaru-san._

Their conversation quickly turned to food, and Kyoko heard them moving. She looked around and quickly rushed to the nearest hiding spot. She ducked into a dark room and waited for them to pass. She saw the three boys walk past the door, her eyes finding the sweetest one smiling and laughing with his friends.

"I didn't know, Hikaru-san. I'm so sorry," she breathed. Their voices and laughter faded away as they left the building, and she deemed it safe to do the same. Her mind was plagued by the recent conversation.

_Hikaru likes me. _

She repeated those words to herself as she made her way home. Someone liked her as a girl, and they have been trying to ask her out for the past year. Kyoko swallowed a lump into her throat.

"…_You just need to find someone who wants you in kind."_

Kanae's words fluttered through her mind as she thought about the eldest of the Ishibashi group. Kyoko didn't know what to do. She didn't know how she felt about this. Her first reaction is shock and then worry.

_What does he want from me? He is more popular than I am. _

She tried to think of what he would want from her, but she came up empty. After a year, anyone would stop their pursuit of a blind nobody like her.

_So why was he still asking me out? To this day, he still likes me. _

She frowned puzzled. This didn't make any sense, but the words of their conversation were proof of his feelings. The question was how did she feel? Her heart ached as Ren's face appeared in her mind. She loved someone else, but she loved someone who didn't love her in return, someone who she could never compete with or be worthy of.

Kyoko didn't mean to insult Hikaru; it's just he was not Tsuruga Ren. Perhaps that was his biggest advantage. She shook her head. No, Hikaru's biggest advantage was that he actually liked Kyoko. She found herself at the restaurant and hesitated to go in. She didn't know why, but she wanted to be alone. She didn't want to hide her whirlwind of emotions with a fake smile.

There was a small park down the road, so she made her way there. She was open to love now. Kanae told her so. She found the crushed emotion alive and well, eager to be used again. Anyone would understand her hesitation, knowing it was triggered by someone who doesn't share those same feelings.

She found a set of swings and sat on the large strap of rubber. She swung back and forth as she forced herself to think of Hikaru. _He's really sweet and patient, waiting for me to say yes every week but never pushing me once I said no. _Her chest ached knowing how she must have hurt him unknowingly.

Kyoko remembered how concerned he was when she was pushed down the stairs, eager to take her to the hospital. She smiled to herself. H_e's funny and easy going. _He was so easy to get along with. She always felt very relaxed around the three Ishibashi guys. Her thoughts moved to times when they were alone. Even then she didn't feel uncomfortable, and he always made her smile.

"Hikaru-san likes me," Kyoko said out loud. She found herself shaking at the thought of it. Her chest felt like it was about to collapse as she contemplated dating him. She always wanted someone to care of her, so why didn't this feel right?


	3. OneSided

Chapter 3

Kyoko didn't sleep well and woke up with the same thoughts tormenting her mind. Kanae was right, not that Kyoko ever doubted her, but someone liked her. Ishibashi Hikaru liked Mogami Kyoko. No matter how many times she said it, it was still hard to swallow.

She sat up on her futon and looked up at her wall. Her eyes focused on the source of her current complication, Ren. She found out how easy it was to lose track of time just staring at his picture. The more she looked at him, the more thoughts came to her mind and the more her body reacted. She thought of his laugh, his smiles, the way he moved, the wonderful way he smelled and spoke, everything from their year together made her blush and crave him. She wanted to pick up her phone and call him to hear his voice. She wanted to run over and touch him, to simply be near him.

She hated it. Kyoko wanted to rip her heart out, to stop these old feelings from returning. It felt like déjà vu but with another man. How it came to this, she wouldn't be able to say. As much as she would like to fight it, she couldn't. The fact still remained that she fell in love again. She didn't know what was worse; to fall in love or to fall in love with Tsuruga Ren, Japan's most desirable and untouchable man.

She fell back onto her futon and stared at the white ceiling. Since Dark Moon is over, Kyoko has found a lot more free time. Oddly enough it seemed that the gods were on her side since she found the time extremely helpful right now. Kanae told her it was Ren's fault that Kyoko fell in love with him. It's his job to be charming and loved. That is the whole reason they are in LoveMe, to learn to be loved and to love in return.

Kyoko smiled and laughed callously. It seems she had no problem with giving love. She never had any issues with that whatsoever, yet what did Lory focus on? Teaching them how to give love. Where were the lessons on how to be loved? How can he teach you how to love when everyone is so willing to take but never give back? LoveMe is a joke, a stupid game made for the amusement of a rich jerk.

Kanae, Chiori and Kyoko had it right all along. What's the point of it if they are just going to use and abuse you all in the name of love? Kyoko turned to her side, curling up in a ball. Her eyes found Ren's handsome face again and skipped a beat.

"Stupid heart," she mumbled to herself. "Haven't you learned your lesson?" She asked herself, and she felt that muscle start to race. _Nope, I'm a fool. _ She continued to stare at his picture and her heart started to trigger memories. People say that the mind is the most powerful thing in the world, that you can wish yourself to die, and you could do so with absolutely nothing wrong with you. Kyoko thought that a lie.

The heart was much more powerful. It caused her to see his face, to hear his laugh, his voice. His scent permeated everything around her, and her hands could still feel the warmth that radiated around her as Ren broke through that last carefully placed lock. The worst was all the ideas it put into her head, the "maybes" and the "what ifs".

_What if all that attention was because he felt something more?_

_Maybe he loves you too. _

_What if he's just as frightened as you are, scared of your rejection?_

_Maybe he would be kind enough to give you a chance, if you confessed. _

_What if he meets someone else?_

_Maybe, he is your prince charming. _

On second thought, the worst thing was that she believed it.

Kyoko glanced at her clock and found that she couldn't stay any longer. She had a shoot for Box-R in an hour until 2, with the rest of her day free. She arrived on set eager to get started but found the girls huddled around Makino Honami, who was crying her eyes out.

Her voice was broken as she sobbed into a tissue, "He didn't even deny it anymore. It wasn't even the same girl!"

Kyoko walked up, not knowing whether to avoid the whole thing or to help comfort her. Her decision was made for her as everyone noticed her. It would be rude to leave now.

"What happened?" Kyoko asked softly.

Chiori answered for Honami, "She found her boyfriend on a date with another girl."

"Stupid bastard," Sado Yuka cursed for Honami. She was the one sitting next to Honami rubbing her back and petting her hair comforting.

Honami sniffed and continued her tale, "The first girl I saw him with, he told me it was an old classmate, and they just coincidently met on the street. Well, I saw them together again later, but I dismissed it. They were friends you know." She paused to wipe her nose. "But they way he looked at her and the way he was treating her, it was the same way he looked at me, how he treated me," her voice went soft and wistful. As if, she was missing him even after everything he's done.

"He's just a player! He treats all women the same and expects them to just fall at his feet, and let him hook up with all the girls he wants. He is the worse kind, Honami-chan. He doesn't deserve you!" Yuka said angrily with all the girls around nodding in agreement.

"I know, and I'm really sorry to come here like this." Honami stood up and tried to put on a brave face. "I'm going to make-up to see if they can help cover everything up. Thanks so much, everyone. I really appreciate all the comfort." She turned and walked away, causing everyone to disperse lost in their own thoughts.

It wasn't long before they started shooting and it seemed that both Natsu and Kaori were being extra cruel in their bullying. In fact, they were more hands on in the student's torment than they have ever been before. Since it was the leader and the second in command, no one dared to stop them until their own victim screamed out, "CUT! STOP!"

Everything froze as the starting actress pulled herself away from Honami's grasp. Kyoko took a step back and dropped the small nail file to the ground.

"Did we go too far?" Honami asked still in character.

"YES!" The girl screamed, "Director! How can you let them do this! I thought this was pretend. ACTING! I saw the show before, but never did I think they were actually doing those scenes, Sick Bitches!"

"Hey, do not use such language in my studio," Director Anna interrupted, "Kyoko-san and Makino-san are professionals and would never hurt a soul. They were not going to carve their names on your arm. You just thought they were because of their wonderful acting," his eyes started to get dreamy, "I love it. It's almost as if they really would do it. The show is such a huge hit because of how real my girls make these scenes. No one wants to be in their victims shoes."

"Yeah, you got that right. Screw this; I don't think they are faking one little bit. That chick," The scared angry actress pointed at Kyoko, "she _enjoys _it! She's sadistic!"

Kyoko frowned concerned about the accusation, "It's just my character. I was going to hide your arm and lightly run the tip on your skin. It wouldn't have hurt," she spoke softly.

Honami knew Kyoko was a softy, but no one spoke to her or her friends that way. She turned to the girl, and the actress took a step back still fearful of Honami's previous actions. Honami grinned maliciously, "I have no idea what hole you crawled out of thinking that you could be an actress but take some notes will ya." She slowly stalked the newbie actress as she continued, "What you just saw, all those feelings of fear you were feeling because of us, is A…C…T…I…N…G. The fact that you got so lost in your own emotions of terror is not our fault, it's yours, for not being good enough to handle your role. Go do some cornball children's shows and leave the real drama to real actresses."

Honami turned her back to the fuming girl with a satisfied smirk. Her heavy heart from her ex-boyfriend seemed to lighten just a little, and she was feeling good.

"Um, Makino-san, please be…" Kyoko started but wasn't able to finish. A primal scream was ripped from the new actress's throat, her face burned crimson in rage as she threw herself at Honami, tackling her to the floor. Everyone rushed to try and get the two girls off of each other, but all were afraid of them as well. Honami was releasing all of her rage and anguish onto the new actress, thinking it was the girl she caught her boyfriend with while the other was merely retaliating from Honami's ruthless words.

Honami got the upper hand, straddling the girl's waist and holding her down by her hair. Angry nail marks decorated both of the girl's open skin as did clumps of hair littered the floor around them. If Natsu's spirit still filled Kyoko, she would be smiling almost to the point of laughter; however, Kyoko stayed with a very worried look on her face. When Honami slammed the girl's head onto the floor, the director and a few camera men were able to tear the girls apart along with whatever clothing they were currently holding on to.

"Shoots over!" Director Anna screamed over everyone as the two girls huffed and glared angrily at each other in complete disarray. Most of the crew started to slowly scatter, weary of the tension the room.

"I don't know what you two are thinking, but this is not how things are done." He turned to the new actress, "Kaede-san, please apologize to my actresses for calling them names that are never to be associated with them."

"WHAT! BUT!" Kaede hollered.

Director Anna held his hand up forcing her to stop speaking. "If you do not apologize, I will make it my goal in life to make sure you never act again. You are rude, unprofessional and don't have any respect for your coworkers. If you were frightened, you could have just stopped the scene and voiced your concerns. You insulting Kyoko-san and Makino-san was going too far. Apologize, now," he commanded.

Kaede pressed her lips together angrily and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Director Anna sighed. "I suppose that is the best we are going to get." He turned to Honami, "You apologize for the cruel things you said. If you need some personal time off to sort out your problems that can be arranged, I do not want you taking out your issues on the victims of the show."

Honami opened her mouth to argue but stopped. She flushed and real displeasure filled her face. She bowed slightly and spoke, "I'm sorry. I'm not in a good mood today, and I let it affect my work."

"Alright, Kaede-san, you can go," Director Anna dismissed her. The young actress stormed out of the room still angry, and hurt.

The director sighed, and Chiori spoke up, "What about the rest of the scene?"

He shook his head. "We will have to reshoot after Makino-san's scratches heal and we find a new actress for the part. Thankfully, it was a small role."

"She's fired?" Kyoko asked, in shock. She has never been around when someone was actually fired from the set. She was at a loss.

"Of course, she is!" The director declared, "She is brand new and therefore a cheap extra. This was a great opportunity for her to start her career, appearing in a very popular show." He beamed like a proud parent. "We warned her about the graphic nature of the scenes, and she assured us it was fine."

He paused for a moment and took a deep breath, "Even if we were to forgive her, I doubt she would be able to act the way we want. She would be looking at Kaori angrily rather than scared."

"I'm sure that Kyoko-san could make her scared again. We can still use the first part of the scene and retape the last half with something new. Kyoko-san is great at leading." Chiori offered, trying to help the situation, but only made Kyoko blink in wonder.

"W…w…wh…what? I'm can't lead," Kyoko stuttered, "I'm just following the script. I'm not leading anyone." She finished with wide eyes.

Everyone smiled and laughed softly at the naive innocence. Chiori spoke for everyone, "Kyoko-chan, there is no script for these scenes, remember? You are the leader so it's obvious that you lead. It's okay though, we got used to the things that Natsu likes, so our characters grew with yours."

Kyoko smiled as everyone turned to leave. Lunch was already bought for the cast and crew so everyone went to eat. She joined them the smile on her face never wavering. That was the best compliment anyone has ever given her for her acting. She knew she shouldn't be so happy at such a thing as leading, but she was. After a very relaxing lunch, she quickly rushed to her dressing room, a happy skip in her step. She undressed and waved goodbye to everyone. They said they would call her up when they were ready to shoot again, probably in a few days. As she made her way out, Kyoko took her phone out and automatically found his phone number and ready to push send. She stopped mid-step and looked at his name.

_Why am I calling him?_

She swallowed a lump in her throat and licked her suddenly dry lips. The first person she wanted to tell was Ren. She wanted to share in the joy of another step up in her acting career. Her heart throbbed in her chest as her finger hovered over the little button. After a moment, her phone went black, tired of waiting for her to make her decision. She sighed, putting her phone back into her purse.

The good news suddenly didn't mean as much anymore. As she stepped outside, she saw Yuka and Honami getting into a car. Honami was crying again, giving Kyoko sympathy pains. She knew that heartache. Kyoko lived through it to tell the tale.

_Ren is different. _Her heart screamed to her.

Was he? She remembered the way he treated other actresses. He was kind to them when they messed up. Ren wasn't kind to her when she messed up a scene. Even when he was sick, he only offered kind words to help his co-star get through the scene. He only bullied and teased her. How did he act when she wasn't around? Maybe he did give rides to other women. She didn't have the courage to ask a question like that to his face, but perhaps she could find out in different ways.

Kyoko may be in love, but she didn't have to be stupid about it like she was with Sho. If she remembered correctly, Ren was here too. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small notepad. Since Yashiro wasn't with the Heel siblings and Cain refused to talk about Ren's schedule, she roughly copied his schedule each week. She flipped through the pages, hiding in the shadows of the building and found today's entry.

R-Mandy CM

Fuji TV

12-6PM

Kyoko frowned. She didn't write down what studio Ren was in. There were twelve studios in Fuji TV. Box- R was filmed in Studio 3. Would it be okay for her to wonder around to each one? Perhaps there was a listing posted as to what each one was doing. She always knew where she was going, so she didn't know the answers to such questions. All she knew was that she wanted to see him; her weary soul was tried of fighting her heart.

Instead of peeking through every studio, possibly getting in trouble for interrupting, she just looked for his car. She found him in Studio 8. Kyoko leaned against the side of the door, debating to go in or not. What if it was a closed set? Where did the door open to? If it was anything like Studio 3, she would appear in the back of the shoot, behind all the cameras and crew. What if he was standing right next to the door when she opened it? What would she say? Too many questions popped up in her mind. The worse that could happen was she was kicked out, or she would speak to him unexpectedly. What would she say her reason for coming was?

"The President sent me for a LoveMe assignment," Kyoko whispered to no one. _Oh, okay. What's the assignment? _Ren's voice asked in her mind.

"I came to make sure you ate." Kyoko frowned and shook her head. _I sound like his mother. _She looked through her purse to see if anything in it could belong to him, phone, mirror, small hair brush, lip gloss, hotel card key… Kyoko took out the card. Maybe she could give him this. Her mouth twisted at the stupid idea. Ren had the spare card in his wallet. Why would he want both? She sighed and put the card back.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "I wanted to see your face," she softly whispered, a light breeze carrying her true desires away. Kyoko couldn't think straight. She blew out a breath, opened the door and slipped in, softly closing the door behind her. They were on change over, the crew making a lot of noise setting up the next part in their commercial. She stayed in the back corner behind some equipment, still able to see a clear view of the area. It wasn't hard finding him in the sea of people. Ren seemed to be talking to the director, the older man pointing to a story board and then to the stage. There were about six other models all around him nodding and asking questions, all of them were women.

It was easy to spot them as models. They all wore upscale clothes, and every single one of them was beautiful. Ren was the spokesmen for R-Mandy. He was their number one. He was everyone's number one, so seeing him surrounded by nothing but gorgeous women shouldn't affect Kyoko at all, yet it did. They were all so beautiful, all different colors and types, all of them attractive in their own right. Ren was always surrounded by women like these. _There is no way he would be…._

The lights went out, throwing her into darkness, scaring her out of her current thought. The set was designed as a night club. She saw several men join the stage, with the women, dressed in various styles of casual to fancier club clothing. Kyoko was ashamed that she didn't notice the male extras. Was she really this far gone?

The extras filled the stage, some went to the bar, and others started dancing with no music on the small floor. The editors will make the place seem bigger than it really is. Kyoko gasped as Ren walked in. He was wearing a long sleeved silver shirt. Only the last few buttons were done, leaving a large span of his chest gleaming in the strobe lights. Her mouth went dry, watching him stalk into the room. Dark jeans encased his long legs and showed off his perfect a…. Kyoko blushed turning her eyes away as he spun around on the floor.

When she looked up, a woman left her current dance partner for Ren. She pressed her scandalously clad body against his. The Emperor smirked down at the woman making Kyoko's heart stop. He twirled her around and turned away as soon as she left his arms.

"Cut!" The director called out and everyone held their places. Two women came onto the stage. Kyoko recognized them as make-up and costume. Ren quickly took off his shirt and changed into a skin tight sleeveless shirt. They added a belt to his jeans and quickly ran a brush through his hair. It happened so fast, but she couldn't believe he was so calm about talking his clothes off in the open.

"Action!" The director yelled making everyone continue their previous motions. Ren twisted to different woman and charmed her away from her date. As she slid off the stool she was sitting in to dance with Ren, her heel caught on the little foot rest and down she fell. Ren's eyes widened in surprise as he attempted to catch the clumsy model but he was too far back, and the model dragged him down with her. Of course, she managed to fall right into his lap.

The lights were quickly turned on and everyone rushed over to help, making it difficult for Kyoko to see what was happening. She saw someone rush over with a little first aid kit and that allowed her to see inside the little group. The woman was sitting between Ren's legs, with her left leg stretched out in front of her in all its sleek glory. Ren had his arm around her shoulder, and he seemed to be whispering something softly to her. His hand was rubbing her shoulders comforting as she blushed in embarrassment from her accident. The helpful stagehand slipped her shoe off to look at her ankle. After a few moments, everyone stood up, and she walked around a little. She was fine. Kyoko thought they were making a huge fuss over nothing.

No one seemed to care that she held up the shoot for twenty whole minutes. The model flushed, embarrassed over everything, and sat back down in her seat. Ren was still talking to her, whispering something to her making her nod and blush even darker. He smiled and Kyoko followed his hand as it moved to her shoulder and squeezed gently. _Why did he need to touch her? He should be getting into position! _The model did not trip the second time, and they were able to continue shooting.

The commercial seemed to require Ren to change outfits after each girl. He would charm one with a smile and hold her softly and then change, a new outfit, a new girl. The goal of the scene was to make it seem like each time was a different night. There were six girls total, so six different outfits. Each time the scene would end and restart, Ren changed right there in front of everyone. They didn't even give him the luxury of changing his pants in private, and he changed his pants three times.

Kyoko was so upset! _They can't do that to him. He is Japan's number one star! He should have his own dressing room, damn it!_ To allow all these people to ogle him like some sort of meat wasn't right. She saw the way those women were looking at him, as if he was something to eat. She lifted her foot to walk forward, to give the director a piece of her mind, when the lights turned back on blinding her.

"Alright, everyone change for the bar scene," the director called out. Kyoko watched as every single one of the models started stripping off their clothes. She immediately turned away from the sudden strip show. Okay, so Ren wasn't the only one who had to do this. Didn't they have dressing rooms for this? The women even changed their underwear for the new dresses. No one seemed to care that these beautiful people were stripping in front of everyone. Everyone was rather professional and hurrying to get to the next scene ready. She saw several make-up artists roam the area, reapplying lipstick or fluffing hair. The costume director went around and adjusted clothing, added accessories with her assistants. Within minutes everyone was dressed and heading back onto the stage, and the lights went out.

It was four by the time they called a break. From Kyoko's minimal experience, commercial directors were extremely picky. That isn't to say that all directors aren't picky, but commercial directors wanted so many different types of shots of the same thing to make a 60 second show. Ren danced, smiled, and charmed those same six women in so many different ways and in dozens of different outfits. He was sure to be exhausted.

Kyoko watched him drink down a water bottle from full to empty in seconds. The perspiration was evident on his skin. She wanted to help him. The desire to wipe the sweat off is chest made her body ache, and she unconsciously took a step forward. She stopped when one of the models came up to talk to him. The girl was gorgeous, with long, dark hair that fell down to the small of her back. She was tiny, about as tall as Kyoko but with a fuller figure and a more mature face. She smiled seductively up at her tall senpai, her teeth perfectly white, shinning between red lips.

Kyoko couldn't hear them, but she could watch his reaction. Ren's smile came easily to his lips. It wasn't his full smile but a friendly one, nevertheless. The model offered him another bottle of water, and his smile widened in thanks. He said something that made her laugh cutely. She was talking to him with such enthusiasm, chattering about something that excited her. Kyoko watched Ren give this woman his full attention. He didn't look around impatiently. He didn't try to excuse himself from the conversation. It looked like no one in the world existed but them.

Kyoko wanted to hate her. She wanted to storm out in a jealous rage and claim him as hers. Of course, she couldn't. Ren didn't belong to anyone. He was his own man, and he stated that he wasn't interested in anyone dozens of times in interviews and such. He nodded to something she asked, and Kyoko could see her jump on the balls of her feet excitedly. What did he agree to? Was he going to drive her home? To her home or his? Are they going to have dinner first?

Kyoko stepped back, deeper into her hiding spot with tears in her eyes. Is he going to kiss her? They look really cute together. Perhaps they are already seeing each other. Flashes of his smiles and cute puppy dog faces appeared in her mind. The pretty woman appeared into the image leaning up to return his smiles with a kiss. Her arms wrapping around his slim waist as Ren held her in his warm embrace. She violently shook her head trying to erase the image.

"I can't do this," Kyoko whispered quietly to herself and ran to the door.

"I will definitely go check it out," Ren confirmed, smiling down at the model. Chie recently married a chef that just opened his own sushi shop. She was eagerly talking to everyone here, trying to get as many people to come and help launch it. Her goal wasn't to advertise that big stars came to eat there but help spread the word. The first few months were vital when opening a restaurant, especially when there were so many sushi shops out there already. His eyes were drawn to an unusually quick movement to his right and froze at the sight of a girl disappearing behind a closing door, a girl that looked a lot like…

_Kyoko?_

"Will you please excuse me, Chie-chan." Ren smiled sweetly and stepped away to the exit. He used his wide stride to eat the distance to the door and quickly stepped outside. He looked around, hoping to see his little copper top.

"Kyoko," he called out, loud enough to be heard in the immediate area. If she was really there, she didn't come out when he called. He took a step down and looked around, his arm stretched out to hold the door open.

"Let's get started everyone!" The director called out, forcing Ren to abandon his search. He shook his head and went back inside. His imagination played cruel tricks on him sometimes.


	4. Decision

Chapter 4

Love is awful.

Why would anyone want to fall in love? Why is it so necessary to have love in acting? She was doing fine acting without it this past year. Besides, it's not like the actors love their fans. There were all nameless blurred faces in a crowd. All throwing their love at someone they don't even know without any hope of ever getting anything in return. She knew that feeling all to well. Her love with Sho was one sided, and now her love with Ren was one sided. Was this the love that President Takarada wanted her to regain?

Kyoko thought she learned her lesson with Sho. _Don't love, just spare myself the pain of it. _Now she knew the truth of her lesson, love never left her. Doubt, anxiety, and resentment just intertwined with it. Kyoko made her way home, the path there was unremarkable. She retreated into the sanctuary of her room and collapsed on the floor, huddling against the door.

It was over before it even began. Kyoko wanted to rant and scream at someone, but she only had herself to blame. Neither man asked for her love. Neither did anything special with her or treated her any differently from other woman. They were just apart of her life like Maria was or the Daruma-ya couple. It was her brainless heart that decided to fall in love with them. She can't be angry at them if they never wanted her love to begin with.

Kyoko's eyes went lifeless as she thought it through. _It's my fault. As usual I'm the one with the problem. _Maybe there was something inside that she can't see, something wrong with her that made men not capable of loving her.

_What if I turned gay? Moko-san is really pretty._

Kyoko's lip quivered and slowly spread into a smile, and then she laughed. She would probably still have the same problem. She pulled herself off the floor and walked over to her shelf, to put her purse away. Her eyes lingered at the rose she got from Ren. The queen was perfectly preserved in its elaborate vase. Her fingertips gently ran down the holding cell, and she had to fight herself from throwing it on the floor. Kyoko knew she would hate herself later if she did that.

She sighed and forced her eyes away only to land on another picture. It was of her and the Ishibashis after the show. Kyoko thought she looked horrible in it, forced to take a picture after sweating in the Bo suit for an hour and a half. No one seemed to mind, the three of them huddling around her, grinning like idiots. She smiled softly and lifted the picture, her mind focusing on a certain man in it.

_Hikaru likes me._

She stepped back and sat before her little table. She set the picture frame down in the middle and rested her chin on her forearms. She stared at it, at him. He looked like his normal self, smiling brightly with laughter in his eyes. He had his arm around Shinichi but hovered around Kyoko more than the other two Ishibashis. She let her mind wonder at the thought of him.

_Should I go to dinner with him? That would be a date, my first date. What would Ren say?_

Kyoko shook her head. It didn't matter what Ren thinks or says. She was her own person. If he was taking models home then she could go on a date with Hikaru. It would be such a switch to be with someone who actually liked her instead of the other way around. Not that she didn't like him, it just never occurred to her to like him in that way.

Could she do it? Most people dated to see if there are real feelings between them so why couldn't she? There was no law carved in stone saying a person had to be in love in order to date someone. She tried to put Hikaru into the dating section in her mind and found it difficult. He was like a big brother to her.

_This is the first person to ever like you, Kyoko._

She smiled. Kyoko really liked the thought of that, someone out there wanting to be with her just as much as she wanted to be with Ren. Her smile wilted as she thought of him again. Her phone rang, making her jump in shock. Kyoko quickly looked around the room and remembered that it was still in her purse. She got up and answered her phone without looking at the Caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hi, how are you?"

Kyoko's heart slammed into her chest as Ren's voice filled her ear. She licked her lips not knowing what to do, what to say. She missed him so much. The silence was starting to get too long so she quickly answered, "Good. You?"

"I'm doing well. I finished my day and heading home. I called to ask you something," his voice paused as if he was trying to find the words.

"What can I help you with?" She answered immediately. Kyoko could feel her body wanting to move, getting ready to leave and meet him at his apartment.

"Did you come by my set today? I thought I saw you there, but I wasn't able to catch you before you left," Ren asked confused.

Kyoko gnawed on her lower lip and lied, "Nope. I did Box-R today, checked into some things and went home." There was a pause on the phone, and Kyoko was worried he didn't believe her.

"Oh, hmm, okay then," Ren sounded disappointed it, but surely that was just her imagination. "Did you find whatever you were looking into?"

Kyoko's brow furrowed thinking about his question. She was checking up on him, so technically yes. The results weren't what she wanted, but she found her answer. He treated her like everyone else. She was a simple kohai to him, giving her treats in the form of smiles and disciplining her when necessary.

"Sort of," she finally answered, "I got an answer but I don't like it."

"What is it? Is there anything I can do to help?"

_Tell me you love me. _Kyoko smiled at her betraying thoughts. She smiled softly into the phone. "No, it isn't something that can change. I just have to deal with it."

"You don't sound very happy about it," he replied.

Kyoko laughed softly. "I'm not," she confessed, "but I can't do anything about it. I promise I'll be fine." She sighed. "You shouldn't worry about your kohai. You should be thinking about what to eat for dinner."

Ren laughed, "Yes, ma'am. I promise I'll have a nutritious dinner, though it won't be nearly as good as the meal I'm going to have with Setsu tomorrow."

She felt her heart swell at the thought of seeing him again, at spending some real time together just the two of them. She smiled a bright, genuine smile, "I'll probably end up cooking again. A restaurant will beat that any day of the week."

"I disagree completely. I love your cooking, nothing can compare," he admitted. She could hear how sincere he was, but the sweet comment made her want to cry. Why couldn't he say something like that about her, rather than her skills in the kitchen? Was she destined to be the little housewife to someone who didn't love her? Maybe that was the best she could hope for.

"I'm happy you enjoy it so much," she said trying not to let her voice betray her thoughts. "I'll cook you up something special tomorrow. Anything you want, we can shop for it after we get into character."

She could hear him smile. "You know I don't care what you make. Everything is tasty," Ren declared. Kyoko shut her eyes tightly, fighting herself, her emotions.

"Well the offer is on the table, if you do think of something. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, trying to end the conversation. She needed to leave, to end the call before he caught on that she was not alright. Nothing was alright anymore.

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow night," his voice was soft, endearing, "Goodnight, Mogami-san."

Kyoko swallowed a lump in her throat and licked her lips before speaking, "Goodnight, Tsuruga-san." Her thumb rammed down on the end call button and Kyoko let out a strangled cry. She curled up into a little ball, wrapping her arms around herself, trying to keep herself from bursting out of control. After what felt like hours, she relaxed, her body falling to the side, her mind tired from all the stress.

"Why couldn't it be mutual," she whispered into the room. It was still rather early, but she was fighting to keep her eyes open. It was dark outside so why bother staying up. Kyoko pushed herself up on her hands and knees and crawled towards the little table. She went to her knees and lifted the picture that was still sitting there.

Kyoko looked over the picture once more and something inside of her clicked. She realized what she was doing to poor Hikaru. He was in the same boat she was in, forced to live in a one-sided love. Every week, he had to endure seeing her, taking his heart out and letting her rip it apart every time she unknowingly rejected him. She hated this heart wrenching feeling, and if she could help her friend overcome that then she will do whatever she can. She didn't know how she felt about him, but everyone deserves a chance or at least some real closure.


	5. First Date

Chapter 5

She had most of the day free the next day. Ren was busy with a magazine shoot to go with the R-Mandy CM from yesterday. Setsu was her only obligation tonight. So that morning, Kyoko woke up, determined to figure out if she could have feelings for Hikaru. She's had his number on her cell for a while, and now she understood why he gave it to her.

It was 9am. Was that too early to call him? She didn't know anything about his lifestyle or what his schedule was like. Kyoko picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts list. If he was asleep then she would simply leave a voice mail. He can reply to her when he wakes up.

She paced in her room as the phone rang. Three rings later, she heard the phone pick up and thought she got his voice mail. It was always after the third ring on Ren's phone.

"Hello?" Hikaru asked at the same time Kyoko started her message.

"Hi, Hika… Oh," Kyoko said a little shocked.

"Kyoko?" His voice sounded excited but confused.

"Ah," Kyoko smiled and replied, "yes, It's Kyoko. Um, am I bothering you?" Her heart was beating rapidly as she started to ramble nervously, "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No," Hikaru said quickly, "No, it's great hearing from you. I was just a little surprised. I wasn't expecting a call from you."

"Oh, were you waiting for someone else to call you?"

"No, I just…" he fumbled his words, "I'm just surprised, but happy. I'm happy you called. What's up?" Hikaru wanted to smack himself. _How uncool._

Kyoko smiled. "I was wondering if you were free today?" She asked bashfully, "Maybe for lunch or something?" She could feel her face burn in embarrassment. _He did this every week? _

"**YES!**" He yelled out into the phone as soon as she finished asking, causing Kyoko to jerk it away from her ear. She laughed as he mumbled his apologies.

"I can come pick you up right now. Unless you wanted to meet somewhere? Or are you not ready yet? It's only nine so maybe you have to shoot something till 12?" Kyoko's smile widened as Hikaru started to rant, "I can pick you up at the set and drop you off after. Oh, but I only have a motorcycle. Do you mind? I can borrow Yuusei's car if you like. He's got this little car, but it works well. Are you still there, Kyoko-chan?"

She found herself laughing softly, her eyes sparkling as he continued to talk. She nodded before she remembered that he couldn't see her and then answered, "You can come by now, I'm not filming anything today. You can pick me up or we can meet somewhere, I don't mind either way. I don't mind riding with you, but I've never been on a motorcycle before, so I don't have a helmet."

"I have one you can borrow," he assured her, "though I want you to be comfortable so I can ask Yuusei for his car."

"No, I don't want you to do that. What will he do for transportation? The motorcycle is fine, but um…" she paused, "what do you want to do?"

"Anything you want to do," Hikaru said enthusiastically.

Kyoko's smile widened, but she was at a lost for words. She didn't know what he liked or disliked. She was opened to whatever he wanted to do and she stated so, "I'll let you decide. We have till five tonight unless you have something you need to do sooner."

_Not anymore! _Hikaru thought. He didn't know what happened or why this was happening to him. Was this his last day on earth, and God was granting him his last wish? Was she a pod person who only wanted to assimilate him into the alien race? He didn't care! The only thing that mattered was that Kyoko was going on a date with him.

"No problem. I got us covered. Where can I pick you up?"

She told him her address, and they said their goodbyes. Kyoko let go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She took her time and put on what she hoped were proper dating clothing. She put on a white floral tunic with a black self-tie accent around her waist. It had soft little purple flower designs all over. She put on a pair of black jeans since they were going on his motorcycle and white canvas tennis shoes. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She would never think to wear something this simple for Ren. He would take her to some fancy place that made her feel painfully underdressed even if she did dress up.

The more Kyoko thought about it, the more doubts she had. What if Hikaru took her someplace fancy? He was famous too. The problem is what could she wear that was fancy and be suitable for a motorcycle? She would be too embarrassed in a skirt of any kind while straddling the bike. There was a knock at her door which made her decision for her. She opened the door to find the Okami-san smiling softly at her.

"Kyoko-chan, there is a young man downstairs for you," the sweet older woman told her.

"Thank you, Okami-san," Kyoko acknowledged and leaned over grabbing her purse. She took a deep breath and stepped out to greet her _date_. When she stepped onto the ground floor, she heard his animated voice loud and clear. He sounded so happy. She turned the corner and stopped in her tracks. He usually wore very casual clothes, and she was ashamed to say she never really noticed how very good looking he was.

His hair wasn't styled any differently, but he wore nicer clothes. He had on a basic white shirt that stretched tightly across his large wide shoulders. A black vest hugged his chest down to emphasizing his slim waist. The shirt wasn't tucked into his black slacks giving it a more casual look. He was sitting down on a stool talking to the Taisho with a bright friendly smile on his lips. He was leaning forwards, his forearms resting on the counter. Kyoko couldn't help but notice the muscle in his arm stretch the short sleeves. Did his body always look like that?

He turned to the door, and his whole demeanor brightened as his eyes found hers. He hopped down from the stood with a cheery smile. "Hi, Kyoko-chan," he said softly, "you look really nice today." She saw a faint blush color his cheeks as he looked down at her with adoring eyes.

Her own face turned red at the compliment, and she whispered, "Thank you, Hikaru-san."

"Are you ready to go?" Hikaru asked eagerly. She nodded and turned to leave but suddenly remembered her manners, "Oh, I should introduce you to…"

"We've already met and said out pleasantries, Kyoko-chan," The Okami-san said, smiling brightly. "Go have fun on your date with Ishibashi-kun."

Kyoko's cheeks burned as she nodded and turned to the door. Hikaru's heart swelled as she didn't deny the word date. _It's a date. It's a date! IT'S A DATE! _He escorted her out to the parking lot with a smile on his face, no one could erase. She walked out the front door and found his bike.

It was a bright blue sports bike and looked intimidating. "Um, Hikaru-san, are we both going to fit on here?" She asked worried.

He smiled at her. "Sure, I'll sit here and you'll sit behind me." He put his hand on the main seat, and then on the small raised seat behind him. He moved to the handle bars were a white full sized helmet was hanging. He unhooked the straps and turned towards her with a big smile. "Here is yours. Hopefully it fits."

She closed her eyes tightly as he slipped the helmet over her head. When she opened her eyes she found him smiling at her through the visor. "How does it feel?" Hikaru asked.

"Um, it's a little loose," Kyoko admitted, the sound of her voice sounding muffled.

"Here, lift your chin," He told her, and she complied. She felt his fingers brush against her neck as he adjusted the straps that held the helmet on. She licked her lips and shut her eyes as the helmet was secured on. His fingers felt soft but strong as they touched her neck and under her chin. He slipped one finger under the strap and gently slid it across her skin to make sure it wasn't too tight.

Satisfied, his hand left her heated skin, and he spoke, "How about now?" Kyoko looked down and shook her head. The helmet didn't move nearly as much as before. She looked up at him and nodded once.

"Great. Hop on and we'll go." Hikaru lifted his leg over the bike, straddling it. He pulled off a blue helmet that matched the paint job on his bike and slipped it on effortlessly. He buckled the little strap and flipped the clear visor up to speak to her.

"Ready?" He held out his hand to her. She took a timid step forward, taking his hand. She licked her lips nervously and looked at the bike curiously. She understood how he sat on it, but not how she would fit into the picture.

"Here," Hikaru started to explain, "put your hands on my shoulders for support and straddle the bike behind me. Once you get on, make yourself comfortable, wherever you like. Your feet will go here." He twisted and set his fingertips on a peg that she didn't notice earlier."

She nodded and did was he told her. He had to lean the bike down, tilting it towards her so she could get on. She saw his strong legs push the bike back up to its normal position and her feet left the ground. Her hands reached out, splaying on his back for support.

"Are you okay?" He asked worried, his head twisted slightly to try and see her.

"I think so," Kyoko answered. She pushed herself back onto the raised seat, which was a semi respectable distance to Hikaru, but found a new problem.

"Where do I put my hands?" She looked around and didn't find any type of handle bars or hand rests.

"Um, well you have to options," Hikaru said nervously. "You can hold on to the gas tank or hold on to my waist."

Kyoko blushed and looked at his waist. She couldn't do that, so option number 1 it is. "Where is the gas tank?"

He leaned to his right and knocked on the tank in front of him. Her face got darker. No matter what, she would have to hold on to him. Well, at least she wouldn't be full on hugging him. She nodded, which caused him to smile.

He turned around, "Just relax and have fun. Don't fight me or the bike. You'll get use to it. Don't worry about a thing; I won't let anything harm you." The way that he said the last remark, made her body grow warm. She nodded shyly and leaned over him, her arms slipping beside his ribs and placed her hands on the shiny blue tank in front of him.

Hikaru pushed the visor down and leaned over the tank, forcing her to go down with him. He turned the key, gripped the clutch on his left and pushed the start button on his right. She felt the engine begin the growl underneath her. Her heart started to beat wildly in her chest as he lifted his foot into position, and they took off.

_Too Fast! Too Fast! Too Fast! Too Fast! _Kyoko found herself painted on Hikaru's back. Her modesty of trying to keep a respectable distance between them was left in the parking lot of Daruma-ya's. As soon as he turned onto the street, he went faster, the wind whipping around the both of them as he maneuvered around other vehicles. Her hands let go of the gas tank and was encased around Hikaru's waist. She pressed her whole body against his back, not even air could squeeze between them as she clung on for dear life.

Hikaru was in high heaven. He wanted to go faster, to never stop riding with Kyoko holding him like this forever. He had to stifle a moan as she pressed her body against his, the soft curves of her figure pressing against his back, her sweet arms holding him tightly. He loved his bike in this very moment, but he could tell she was scared. He got onto the highway to head to the country side. He wanted her to like his bike. Though if she didn't, he would have to buy a car just for her.

"Kyoko-chan, open your eyes," Hikaru's soft voice came out of some sort of speaker in her head. She burrowed her brow confused but shook her head.

"It's okay, Kyoko-chan. Look outside, there is nothing scary about this. Relax," he said soothingly.

"Slow down," Kyoko pleaded, and she heard him laugh.

"We are going 40km/hr. If I go any slower, we will topple over," he teased. (about 25mi/h)

She held her breath and opened her eyes. Lo and behold, they were riding out of the city without another car in sight. Her eyes fell on the country side, acres of farm land and plains. She felt herself learning to breathe again but her grip stayed tightly around Hikaru.

"See, it's not so bad," he encouraged her.

"Why can I hear you?" She said out loud trusting that if she could hear him, he could do the same.

"There is a microphone and speakers built into the helmets, so we can talk. There is even plug in for your MP3 player if you rather listen to music," he answered.

"Oh, that's handy. It's always on?"

"No, there is a little button just inside the helmet that I turned on before you put it on. It's on the right side next to your jaw if you want to look for it. There's volume control and everything," he offered but Kyoko shook her head. In order to look for the little button she had to let go and there was no way she was going to do that until they stopped at their destination safely.

"Um, Hikaru-san, where are we going?" She asked as they headed further out of town.

"Oh, sorry, I wanted you to get used to the bike, so I took us out of town. You seemed to get more frightened every time I took a turn in the city," he teased her. She could hear the smile in his voice.

"It's your fault, going so fast. You weren't even going the speed limit, were you," Kyoko accused him.

"I was. I promise, the whole time I was five under the limit."

The conviction in his voice convinced her he was telling the truth. "Sorry, I guess it seems faster on the motorcycle than in a car," she apologized.

"It's fine. You've relaxed your grip, so we can head back now."

Kyoko realized how she was positioned and her whole body heated up in embarrassment. She moved her hands back onto the tank and sprouted her apologies, "I'm so sorry, Hikaru-san. I didn't mean to do that to you. Are you okay?"

He laughed softly. "I'm fine, and I don't mind at all, Kyoko-chan." He took his left hand off the clutch and put her hands back on his stomach. "Do whatever feels comfortable to you."

"Um, okay," her voice was soft. He twisted the throttle and the speed picked. He leaned to his right and forced the bike into a U-turn. She instinctively tightened her grip around him, as the wind whirled around them. She kept her eyes open this time, watching the bike eat up the distance. Soon, they were back into the city, and he slowed down to weave around traffic. She let herself enjoy the ride. The way his body moved under her arms. Hikaru wasn't as large as Ren was, but he was still big compared to her. His shoulders were wide, and he felt very solid under her touch. He was also very warm pressed up against her, keeping the chill of the air off her skin. Overall, she felt safe.

He slowed down as he pulled into a parking lot. He slowed down and made his way to the very front, stopping his bike on a large open area right next to the main building. He turned off his bike and sat up, pulling his helmet off.

"Best thing about motorcycles is the parking. They reserve the best spots for the handicapped and cyclists." He grinned at her. He leaned the bike low to the right again, "Just put your foot down and hop off. I'm here for support if you need it."

She found it easier to get off than to get on. She placed her hands on his back and swung her leg over. Her legs felt like they were shaking from the constant vibration of the bike. She held on to his arm as she regained her balance.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, bringing her attention to his face. His dark brown eyes were worried as if he pushed her too far. He was very fussy, constantly worried about how she was doing.

She smiled and nodded awkwardly. She released his bicep and brought her fingers to her chin trying to find the clasp of the helmet. He leaned the bike on its side stand and slipped off on the other side as she finally figured out the contraption. Kyoko took a deep breath as she pushed the helmet off.

"The bad thing about motorcycles is you have to lug around the helmets. Sorry," He pouted cutely making her laugh.

"I don't mind. Where are we?" She asked as she looked around. The building was huge and there were people with kids and large groups heading inside.

"Welcome to Evocation, Tokyo's black light fun house," Hikaru announced proudly.

"Black light?" Kyoko asked confused, "you mean glow in the dark?"

"Yup," Hikaru replied as they started to make their way to the entrance. "They have laser tag and a mirror maze that's opened during Halloween and…" He opened the door for her as she stepped inside. There was a huge dragon over her head looking menacing with words printed on the side of his body.

_**Fantasy Mini Golf**_

"Miniature golf!" Kyoko exclaimed and turned to find Hikaru's shirt glowing white from the black light. She smiled and looked down at her. Her blouse, shoes and helmet were also glowing brightly.

"I guess we should have worn darker colors," Kyoko said giggling.

"Your smile would still light up the room," he said sincerely. She shyly looked away not knowing what to say. _He's awfully sweet._

He bought them two passes for the full 18-hole course. They held their helmets behind the counter for them. He got a glowing green ball while she got the glowing pink one. The whole place was set up in different sections. The first section was like they were in a dark cave filled with different dragons of all shapes and colors. They even had a hole with baby dragons darting in and out trying to grab your ball as you played. The next section was a forest.

Kyoko's eyes went into her dream land. There were twisted trees with little sparkling cubbies where she was sure the fairies went to sleep at night. There was a little house where a family of trolls lived. The mother was trying hard to keep her two children in line while the next hold had the father snoring away blocking your shot into the hole.

There was a little war zone section with volcanoes with scary orcs fighting a dragon. Then a water land section with mermaids and the king of the seas, Poseidon with his mighty trident. The last area was a bunch of wizards and witches' playing with their magic, hovering over a cauldron casting spells. It truly was a fantasy land from all different areas.

It was so much harder playing in the dark, too. While the outline of the hole was glowing, she couldn't see all the twists and bumps on the ground that forced her ball to go in random directions. They were so many moving displays that they would sometimes make her jump, like a turtle in the sea area eating her ball and throwing it back in to the beginning.

They didn't keep score, both of them equally horrible at the game, but they had fun. Hikaru insisted she go first at every hole, even if she spent five swings trying to sink her ball in the last hole. He even "accidently" hit her ball with his foot making it go in. They let families go past them preferring to take their time and goof around at each hole than make the people behind them wait. Kyoko couldn't remember the last time she laughed so much. Hikaru was polite, sweet, funny and never touched her more than necessary. When she tripped on a cruelly placed bump, she looked up at him worried of finding his emperor face but found a nervous smile instead.

Kyoko blushed and pulled away then sank her putt cheering excitedly. He even allowed her the time to search for real fairies in the little forest and claimed he saw one.

"I did! She buzzed right behind you," he said excitingly. "Look! Turn around!" He yelled out. She twisted around and found nothing.

"You're teasing me!" Kyoko cried. She looked around sadly, not seeing the little fairy he was so sure about.

"I wouldn't tease you," his voice was so close to her, she turned, stunned to find him so very close. "It must be one of those mischievous fairies. They are a bunch of tricksters, you know."

He said it so sincerely, that she couldn't help but laugh. They finished the course a little after twelve and both were ravenous.

"Let's get some pizza. I know a great place we can go to. They serve it just like in America with cheese and pepperoni with tomato sauce. It's great!" They retrieved their helmets and made their way out of the dark building. They blinked trying to get their eyes adjusted to the bright day. Kyoko found it easier getting on and riding the bike the second time. She expected the feel of it as it accelerated and the lurch when he had to stop. She didn't hold on to him as tightly as before, but she felt safer holding on to him rather than the gas tank. They didn't talk much on the bike which was fine. She didn't feel the need for polite conversation while riding a motorcycle like she would in a car.

They arrived at an Italian restaurant rather than a pizza franchise she was expecting. They went in. and it had a very friendly feel to it with little tables with red and white checkered table clothes, and booths with overstuffed benches. It was a seat yourself establishment, and they sat in one of the tables. Kyoko sat facing the crowd allowing Hikaru the chance to sit with his back to them. He didn't though. Instead he sat in the seat adjacent to her.

Kyoko leaned over and whispered to him, "Are you worried about getting recognized?"

He blinked at her and smiled, shaking his head. "Na," a flash of worry covered his face, and he corrected himself, "I do get recognized – a lot in fact," he said confidently, "but I've been here before, and they are pretty good about leaving me alone. I'm more worried about you though. You are much more popular than I am," he confessed.

She stared at him confused, "There is no way," Kyoko laughed that thought off.

"No, it's true. I have one show, Bridge Rock. Don't get me wrong it's pretty popular, well you know that," he paused as he set the menu down to whisper to her, "but you are Mio and Natsu. I've watched all your episodes, and you are really great. I hear nothing but great things about your roles. You are even great as Bo!"

Kyoko could stop the blush that covered her face, "Please stop. It's really nothing." She hid her face behind her menu, "I'm not that great."

Hikaru eyes warmed as he looked into hers. She felt her heart skip a beat as he smiled gently at her, "You are so much more than great, Kyoko-chan. You are wonderful, talented, smart, caring, and beautiful. Only an idiot would think otherwise."

Kyoko was saved by the waitress coming to take their orders. He quickly asked if she had any allergies to anything, and she shook her head no, the sudden compliment still blocking her words. He ordered for them and the waitress left to get their drinks, water for her, Golden Cola for him. She wanted to change the conversation, away from her so she started asking questions about him.

What did he like to do on is free time? What family does he have? How did he get into LME? She asked everything under the sun. Hikaru was so open and honest, it was refreshing. He told her stories of his childhood and his two younger sisters constantly harassing him to play dolls with them.

"Then they started dating…" Hikaru shook his head, "If I was only taller, the guys my youngest sister is dating scare the hell out of me."

She laughed. "I knew you were the protective big brother." Her laughter died down, "You should worry about your height so much, Hikaru-san. You are very handsome just the way you are. You are what 170cm?"

"172," he corrected quickly and blushed as she smiled at him. "That's a very good height. You are about 20 cm taller than I am."

Hikaru blushed sweetly and placed his hand over hers. "Thanks, Kyoko-chan," his voice was soft, yet deep, and she found that she didn't mind the feel of his hand on hers. Their pizza arrived making her eyes widened.

"What is this?" Kyoko exclaimed frightened. It was massive with nothing but cheese and meat crawling all over it.

"A deep dish meat lover's pizza," he replied, "I got the medium for us since I'm not sure if how much you would eat. The three of us guys can eat an extra large so don't worry about it going to waste. Just eat your fill and enjoy."

It turns out her fill was about one and a half slices. She never felt so full in her life. She was normally a very healthy eater, but this was so heavy and outside of her normal diet. Hikaru ate the rest without breaking a sweet including three refills of his soda. Comparing him to Kuu would be a stretch as would trying to compare him with Ren but even if she thought of Sho's eating habits, this was too much. Her mind jumped to that calorie dynamite, the okonomi-apan the three Ishibashi's would eat, and she paled in worry.

"Hikaru-san, please tell me you don't eat like this every day? You're going to have a heart attack by the time you are thirty," Kyoko said perturbed.

"Na, I don't eat here everyday, maybe like once a week if the guys want to. There is a great burger place next to where I live but other times, I just eat at whatever restaurant I find."

"What about cooking? Don't you eat a home cooked meal? Something healthy, maybe?" She said hopefully.

"I go home once a week, and mom makes nabe with lots of pork just for me," He said proudly making Kyoko groaned. It was the exact opposite from Ren. It went from empty fast food carbs of onigiri and absolutely no meals to meals loaded with fat and grease. Did all men do so poorly at taking care of themselves? How do they maintain their bodies with such abusive diets?

"Something wrong?" Hikaru asked uneasy.

Kyoko snapped her head up and yelled, "Yes! You shouldn't eat like that. This is bad for you. You probably have the arteries of a fifty year old man with the way you eat. All the calorie dynamites, the deep dish meat pizzas and pork. You need to eat more fish, more rice and vegetables." The more she spoke the more he paled. She stood up from her chair in a huff.

"Wait. Don't be mad. I'll do better," he pleaded, "I'll just cook more."

She looked down at him and blinked in shock. "You know how to cook?"

"Yeah, but I hate doing dishes so I don't," Hikaru confesses.

Kyoko's lips started to quiver. They slowly started to turn into a smile and laughter burst from her lips. "Get a dish washer," she said between bursts of laughter. She calmed down and asked, "If I do the dishes, will you cook?"

Hikaru's eyes widened in shock, and he started nodding vigorously. "Yes! I would cook for you everyday of the week. You don't ever have to do the dishes."

Kyoko opened her mouth to say that wasn't what she meant, but closed her mouth and smiled. _I just asked him out on another date. _She blushed and shyly looked up at him. "Okay. I would love to taste one of your meals," she said bashfully, "but I will do the dishes if you do. It's only fair."

It was close to 2 in the afternoon when they were done with lunch. "How about a movie?" Hikaru offered.

"Sure, we should have time for that," Kyoko replied. Hikaru took her to a theater close by. It was really busy, and she was a little more worried about the crowds.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else, Hikaru-san," She whispered softly

"We'll be fine. Look," he pointed out to the building, "there are electronic ticket machines with no lines. We'll sneak in, and no one will know we are here."

Kyoko stuck close to Hikaru making sure not to show her face much. He let her pick the movie which she was expecting and voiced her concern, "I don't know what these are about. I don't watch much TV so I don't see many previews. You pick something, nothing scary."

"Well, we are having the actor in this movie come to the show so let's watch this one. I would feel better seeing it with a girl than with the guys," he said shyly making Kyoko read the title, No Strings Attached.

"What's it about?" She asked as he bought the tickets.

"It's a chick flick about two life long friends who end up sleeping together. In order to continue their friendship, they decide to have a "friend's with benefits" relationship and end up falling in love," he explained and saw Kyoko's cheeks flush. "You can see why I rather see this with a date than with Yuusei and Shinichi."

Kyoko laughed. "Yes, I suppose so. You could take your sisters."

Hikaru shuddered next to her. "No way, I'd rather go alone."

"Well then I guess it is a good thing I'm here. Feel free to call me whenever you need to see an embarrassing movie," Kyoko offered. She turned up to look at him, and he had this angelic happy smile that made her catch her breath. _Did I just ask him out again?_

They went in and found their seats. Hikaru bought her water and himself another soda. The movie was fun and not as embarrassing as she first thought, light on the sex, overall funny and light hearted. It was getting dark and the date was coming to a close.

"I should take you home, right? You need to be somewhere at five?" Hikaru asked his voice a little sad. She nodded. She had to meet up with Ren after his shoot to assume the Heel sibling roles. As they climbed onto the bike, her mind drifted to the other man. Her chest felt tight as she thought of him, wondering how his shoot was going, then she closed her eyes and relaxed as much as she could on the back of the bike.

_What would he think knowing I am on a date? Why would he even care? Why should I feel guilty? _She pressed her lips together. _Because you are thinking of Ren when you should be thinking of Hikaru, that's why you feel bad. Stupid Kyoko! _

Hikaru felt her arms tighten around him suddenly. He didn't make a turn or speed up unexpectedly, so there was no reason for her to cling on to him. He smiled and sped up the bike a little in celebration. She had having fun! She enjoyed their first date! The date was more than anything he could hope for. She was exciting and funny. She was open to new things, and lets him take the lead in their date acting totally cute and sweet. But she will voice her opinions and concerns like a real person. He hated mousy passive girls and at the same time, he couldn't handle the fiery ones that dominated their dates.

Kyoko was perfect, beautiful and caring, and she can be so sexy. The way she pouted in the dark at mini golf when she couldn't find the fairy, it took every ounce of strength not to take her into his arms and kiss her. Plus, she told him he was handsome with that sweet flush to her cheeks. He felt like he won the love lottery. He never wanted this day to end. He pulled next to the Daruma-ya restaurant in a blink of eye. He was a little frightened of letting her go.

_What if she doesn't want to see me again? What if this was just a dream and the moment she walks out of my view I wake up? _He nervously rolled his bike to the front through all the cars that belonged to the hungry eaters at the restaurant.

"Actually, could you go to the east side, there is a side door I use while the restaurant is open," Kyoko asked politely. He maneuvered his bike to the side and saw the little door she was talking about. He turned off his bike and helped her off. Hikaru stepped off and walked the few steps to her door. Kyoko anxiously turned to him.

"Thank you for today, Hikaru-san. I had fun," Kyoko said and wanted to take it back. _How cliché. _

He smiled at her and replied excitedly, "Really?" He coughed. "I mean great." He rolled his eyes at himself totally failing at being cool which made her laugh.

"Yes, really, thank you. Today was…" Kyoko paused to find the right word, "nice. You were nice."

_Nice. _That's not a good thing. Not something you should hear at the end of a date. She is trying to let him off easy. He wouldn't make it hard for her. At least, he got a chance. Hikaru nodded solemnly with a tight smile. He took a step back, "Well, have a good night, and I'll see you for the show."

Kyoko frowned confused. She saw him turn towards his bike, ready to put his helmet back on, when she grabbed his arm. He turned towards her waiting for her to speak.

"Um, I'm free at six this Sunday," she said to the ground, "If you are free too, maybe we can go out again, if… you… want…." Her eyes moved up as he approached her, finally meeting his as she finished her request. He looked darkly into her eyes, hope and affection danced in his dark irises. His fingertips touched her cheek softly causing a shiver to run down her skin. She looked up at him, and her eyes widened as his closed.

_He…he… he's going to kiss me! _

She licked her lips and her body wanted to retreat, to hide. Her arms wanted to shove him away, but her mind forced her to stay.

_You are dating him! Kissing is something you do with your date. Stay still!_

His fingers tickled her as he caressed her cheek. Hikaru pressed the softest of chaste kisses on her lips. She barely felt it. _Was that my first real kiss?_

He pulled away and smiled such a radiant smile, blushing as he spoke, "I'll see you on Sunday then. Goodnight, Kyoko."

She immediately wanted to correct him, but held her tongue. She smiled and nodded. "Goodnight, Hikaru-kun." It was the best she could do. She slipped inside and closed the door with a final goodbye. She leaned against it and waited until she heard the sound of his bike drift away. She took a deep breath and touched her lips.

Did that really count as a kiss? Well, it was infinitely better than Sho-baka's. Still, she was strangely calm about the whole thing. She smiled at herself.

"That's great," Kyoko told herself out loud. She wasn't disgusted with it like when Sho kissed her, and her mind wasn't plagued with it like Ren's kiss on her cheek. She accepted Hikaru's kiss easily; in fact, she's pretty much over it now.

Maybe this is what real love is supposed to be like, simple, calming, and fun. Kyoko couldn't say that she loved Hikaru, but maybe after some time, she could. Her heart was opened to it now, and Hikaru is safe. Her heart is safe with him.

_Hikaru likes me. _

_I like him. _

_Like can turn into love. _

_Right?_

**A/N: As much as you would love to see what happens next. This is the end. Remember the challenge, Hikaru story! **

**BUT... I can't leave the story unfinished. At least it felt extremely unfinished in my head. To keep true to the challenge, please read the continuation of this story, Reluctant Acceptance.**


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